PetrA

Chapter sixty-two: Timothy

Maryanne burst through the doors and scanned the room before she caught sight of Timothy. "Timothy..." She said. "What is it?" He asked looking up from the papers he'd been looking at. "A girl, Ellie. Several other people." Timothy only heard the name Ellie before he stood up abruptly letting the papers fall to the ground. "Go get Marlene and Mary." He said. Maryanne nodded and disappeared from the room again. Soon after, she arrived with them just outside the building. "What is it?" Mary asked breathlessly as she stopped by Timothy. "Ellie." He said shortly taking off at a fast pace towards where Maryanne told him. They passed Daniel who did not look very pleased to see the gathering of people just outside the boundaries of their camp. Timothy didn't need to look twice before he knew that it was Ellie, "Lower your guns!" He yelled at his friends. He only recognised Henrik, Gemma, Cody, Kim, and Ellie. The rest of them were new faces. Two red haired boys flanked either side of the group their eyes darting around, and a girl with her hair pulled up in a bandana stood on Ellie's right side along with Gemma. Then Timothy noticed the shadow right behind Ellie and let out a sigh of relief. Gordon...

"ELLIE!" Mary cried shoving her way past their guards. She flung herself at Ellie who stumbled back, but accepted the hug. "That's your sister?" Grant asked staring at Ellie who was still hugging Mary. "That's my sister." He nodded. Marlene who usually kept her face void of emotions looked like she was on the verge of crying. Gordon dashed out from behind Ellie and ran at Timothy. They let the auto-camper past the defences with some difficulties, but soon it was parked between two buildings. Once Ellie wasn't with Mary or Marlene, Timothy pulled her in for a crushing hug. "Where have you been?" He asked holding close. Ellie looked up at him, her green eyes wide. "We've had to take some detours, and wanderings didn't exactly help either." She said. Timothy noticed that Ellie was skinnier than the last time he'd seen her. Her cheekbones and jaw was more prominent. She also looked paler, but maybe that was just his imagination.

"So you're back." Daniel said nastily walking out of the shadows. He had a slightly mad look in his eyes and Ellie frowned at him. "Daniel?" She asked slowly as if she was threading carefully in a minefield. "I had hoped you'd die underway, same with that little git of your little brother, but clearly that's too much to ask." Ellie's frown turned into a deadly look. She took a step closer to Daniel and much to Timothy's surprise he backed away from her. "What did you say?" She asked quietly. Timothy sensed the danger in her voice. "I had hoped you and your brother had died." Daniel said sneering at her. "Good to know where you stand." Timothy said interrupting Ellie before she could speak. "However, if you want to stay here you'll need to follow our rules." He said cutting over Ellie's reply.

Ellie scowled at her brother, but it only seemed half-heartedly. "And I expect you to listen to Ellie too." Daniel gave him a poisonous look before he turned around and stalked back to his own little camp at the far end. "Why'd you do that?" Ellie demanded rather annoyed scowling at Timothy. "To keep you from murdering him." Ellie scoffed. "I wasn't going to murder him." She said turning her nose in the air. "Ellie!" Stella walked towards them with determined steps. "Get your ass inside. We can't have you get sick." Timothy frowned as Ellie sighed. It was as though all the energy drained out of her. "I'm wearing my jacket." She said turning away from Timothy. "I don't care. If you get sick... just think about it." Stella said her eyes lingering on Timothy. Then she looked at Ellie and the two had a silent conversation. "As you please, but get inside where it's warm." Stella said sternly. "Whatever." Ellie muttered she turned back to Timothy. "I'll see you later." She followed Stella, leaving Timothy wondering what that was all about.

When he found Mary and Marlene, they were sitting around the fire in the main house. Ellie was talking to Kim, Henrik and Stella over in one corner. She didn't seem to like the topic very much as she kept shaking her head while scowling at them and had her arms wrapped around herself. Something Timothy knew meant that she felt extremely uncomfortable. Mary kept glancing their way a smug look on her face. Finally, Ellie shook her head at something Henrik said and walked away. She sat down next to Mary and closed her eyes. "I see trees of green..." Mary sang. Ellie jumped and turned to Mary, who simply just smirked. "Mary don't you fucking dare..." Ellie hissed at her. "Red roses too, I see them bloom, for him and you. And I think to myself what a wonderful world." Mary continued grinning like a fool. "MARY!" Ellie cried going redder than Timothy had ever seen her. Mary's face resembled one of a kid on Christmas morning. Timothy couldn't hear what Mary was telling Ellie afterwards but, it looked like Ellie had taken Rudolph's red nose and squeezed the colour out onto her face.